I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

The challenge is getting the right speaker/amp combination. I've had speakers that should be great with one amp be so-so and then the same speaker ends up in another amp and it's amazing! There's also no one "catch all" speaker - like all my amps gotta have this one particular great speaker. It's all subjective and can get pricey because the only way to find out is experiment with different speakers.

Speakers is to amps what pickups are to a guitar.

[Jacew]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

As electric guitarists, we play the amp (I read this recently somewhere on the tubez and I can't remember the original source). The guitar is a tool we use to play the amp. With that in mind, it seems like having a great amp (and great speaker setup whether it is a combo or a separate cab) is an absolute necessity.

The dilemma people wanting to upgrade equipment face is where do you want to pour your money first? Upgrading from a beginners guitar facilitates better playing usually, and upgrading from a beginners amp facilitates producing better tone.

Not necessarily. After getting tube amp my playing started to improve significantly. Lacking the dynamic response to your playing Mustang modeler I was using didn't really work for a learning tool the same way.

Another point is that if you don't what you sound it's more work and less fun. Which is not good.

Personally, I should have upgraded years earlier.

So, if I understand (will require second explanation), the Eminence V128 would sound ok with VIP I? I'm a very low-end for best quality woman. Live on disability, so you can see no $$.

I don't know. I'm using it currently with Mustang I. (The same I mentioned earlier), and it's very dark and smooth. Cab sims are unusable wih it, but without them it works for some darker/smooth tones.

I would advice for more flat response speaker.

[Mincer]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

The VIP I's speaker is good as it is...I wouldn't change it.

People into digitial modelers like the Kemper and Fractal love to swap out IRs of different speaker cabinets. They can really transform a guitar sound.

[80's_Metal]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

Once I played my **** through v30's and g12-75t's I knew I'd never change speakers again.

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

Oh, man, I've gone through way too speaker combos in my Marsall cab.

With my amps, I like the sizzle of a pair H-75 Creambacks mixed with the chunk and smoothness of Relic 30's.

Then again, that's with my amps. V30's are more of a wildcard. They sound good with my amps too, and they tend to work with most modern high-gainers overall.

TBH, most Celestions I've tried have sounded good with my amps except for maybe T-75's. But Creambacks M's and H's, Chinese and British-made Greenbacks, Anniversary H30's, Chinese and Mesa-exclusive V30's, and Relic 30's have all been at least useable one way or another.

[Davii]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

There's more neodymium options these days too; I've just pulled the stock Celestions in a new JVM410 combo, and replaced them with Lil Texases (which I already like), and the combo is now also over 50% lighter in terms of speakers.

[Adieu]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

Yeah you can cut like 10lbs per speaker with neo...question is, what do they sound like?

[ArtieToo]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

I would think that a speakers character would come more from the magnetic flux density than the type of magnet. How would a speaker know if it had a small neo or a large Alnico? All else being equal.

[Jacew]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

I would think that a speakers character would come more from the magnetic flux density than the type of magnet. How would a speaker know if it had a small neo or a large Alnico? All else being equal.

Good point. With pickups the magnetic flux is reading the strings. In speakers same flux is moving the cone tied into frame so I'd think tolerances in it to make difference noticeable are much larger. Possibly impossible to actually measure in terns of sound.

[Davii]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

I had the standard Texas, which I thought a bit warmer than the neo's, but I bought the latter new, and the standard version was secondhand, so perhaps the standard had been well broken in by the time I'd got it.

[Dave Locher]

Re: I think we underestimate the importance of speakers

I bought an Eminence Tonker and a Tonkerlite. There is a difference in the tone, but they sound more alike than different and certainly more alike than either speaker sounded to other model speakers.
I sold the Tonker after a while so telling you the exact sound differences I cannot do, but I think I remember the neo Tonkerlite was a bit more raspy than the Tonker. In this case that was a good thing for me. Ymmv...